Smiling usually feels good, and it's something you should do without hesitation each time you have a reason to do it.
But there are times when you have to think twice before opening your lips -- such as when your teeth are less than white.
Yes, having brown or yellow teeth can make you feel self-conscious.
And it can make you want to stifle your grin each time you have to wear one.
But the good news is that there are some easy ways to make your teeth whiter without causing any damage to them and without having to break the bank.
Read on to learn these proven methods.
First, why do teeth change color? It's just logical to understand the likely reasons your teeth have changed color before going on to learn how to whiten them.
Here are some of the reasons why teeth become yellow or brownish: • Age: As you grow older, the white enamel on your teeth becomes thinner and more transparent, thereby allowing the darker inner layer to show better.
• Colored drinks: The teeth absorbs colored liquids, so if you frequently take drinks like coffee, tea, cola, and red wine, your teeth will darken with time.
• Smoking: Tobacco smoking also leaves stains on the teeth, which leads to teeth darkening.
How to Whiten Your Teeth at Naturally at Home 1.
Use hydrogen peroxide Hydrogen peroxide is the key ingredient of most teeth whiteners.
It whitens the teeth by forming bubbles on the enamel that clears stains off it.
So, washing your teeth regularly with hydrogen peroxide will make them whiter.
Note that the higher the concentration of peroxide and the longer it stays on your teeth, the whiter your teeth will get.
But using too high concentrations can cause tooth sensitivity.
You can even whiten your teeth faster by adding some baking soda to your peroxide to make a paste.
However, be sure to have enough peroxide in the mixture, so the gritty soda doesn't scrub the enamel off your teeth.
Nonetheless, you'd be fine with peroxide only.
2.
Lemon or orange peels Another effective but little known way to whiten your teeth is to use lemon or orange peels.
All you need to do is rub the peels against your teeth and leave for a few minutes.
(The taste could be hard to bear, but they say, "no pains, no gains.
") Then rinse your mouth.
Leaving the peel extracts on your teeth for too long might eventually wear the enamel on your teeth due to the high acid content of the peels.
So, rinse after a few minutes.
3.
Strawberries Many people have testified that strawberries really do help to whiten discolored teeth.
So, if you have them around you, try to eat them often.
But don't forget to also rub them on your teeth.
Doing this regularly will help you get your teeth back to color white.
4.
Apple cider vinegar (ACV) Apple cider vinegar is particularly effective for removing stubborn stains on the teeth, such as those caused by coffee and nicotine.
But for ACV to work for you, you must be consistent, as it takes one to two months of daily usage to see results.
In fact, some say ACV makes your teeth look as though they were professionally cleansed.
However, you need to be careful with ACV.
Don't leave it for too long on your teeth, as it can wear the enamel on your teeth.
Rinse your mouth after seven to ten minutes of applying it.
5.
Brush your teeth after eating or drinking Although it's not easy, brushing your teeth after each meal or each consumption of a colored drink is a proven way to make your teeth whiter.
This method helps you clear the stains on your teeth while preventing new ones from accumulating on them.
However, this method is difficult and takes a lot of persistent.
There you have it! So, you just learned five proven methods to whiten your teeth fast and naturally at home.
You don't have to visit the dentist or wait for several months to get white teeth.
A final warning: except for regular brushing, the teeth whitening methods explained above should be stopped once your teeth becomes white.
Continuous use of these techniques can cause the enamel on your teeth to wear out fast!